All Blog Posts (3,124)

The following video clip was sent to me by a reader who was responding to my last post regarding vertical ventilation:

https://youtu.be/iK-ZpPWJIj4

In it, you will see two firefighters vigorously cutting a roof as fire burns below. The provider of this link pointed out the immediate improvement in interior conditions as evidenced by the lift in the smoke layer that occurred as the fire vented. Taking a contrary position, I would point out…

Our mission is to protect the community and our firefighters with all of the training, equipment and protective gear money can buy. Of course there are the smaller and less affluent fire districts barely responding to calls for service or emergencies and all-volunteer fire organizations are equally challenged to place sufficient firefighter resources in the community for response.

One of the common factors for all departments are the laws and statutes that dictate their conduct and…

The “Fire Service”.  “Fire Service” is composed of two words. “Fire” and “Service”.  According to Webster’s, “Fire” is defined as “a destructive burning (as of a building)”.  Webster’s defines “service” as “the occupation or function of serving;  the work performed by one that serves; contribution to the welfare of others”.  So it’s easy to extrapolate a definition for “Fire Service”.  “Fire Service” as defined by me is “A group committed to serving the citizens, whom we are sworn to…

Michael C. Reilly

“The Hard Charger Award”

By: Adam J. Hansen…

Have you become the Dinosaur Officer

As you go through your career have you be come bored, stagnant, unmotivated?

Has the department become the same? The Dinosaur in the room could be you. . It has been widely thought that Company Officers and the “Senior Man” or “Barn Boss” can make or break a department. Is the department led by a dinosaur Chief. Has he or she become complacent in their jobs?

Leadership ,or lack of it ,in every position can influence everyone. As the…

The%20Dinosaur%20Officer%20editted%20%281%29.docx

An Open Letter to My 19 -Year-Old Rookie Firefighter Self, Written 28 Years Later

Dear Joe,

You are about to experience something very special. You have been chosen to be part of…

I generated a bit of discussion a few years ago when I posted a blog expressing my viewpoint that vertical ventilation, except in the presence of pre-made openings (rooftop scuttles or bulkhead doors) was a tactic that had little utility on the modern fireground (http://community.fireengineering.com/profiles/blog/show?id=1219672%3ABlogPost%3A620250). This was based on our then-new knowledge…

Engine Company Search: Split Level House

Life Safety is the fire services number one priority, typically accomplished by searching for victims of fire inside fire buildings. This is a high risk, high man power, and high intensity tactic that must be planned and coordinated. However, fire departments all over the country often are faced with the choice of…

STAY FIRED UP, brothers and sisters, and be unique. Be original. Be you... but keep an ample supply of kitty litter:)

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From the time we are children, we are told to be afraid of monsters. Monsters under the bed. Monsters in the closet. The monster in that dark and treacherous basement that our parents never wanted us to explore alone. As we grew older, our teenage monsters changed to be the bully in second-period literature or our ever-present self-doubting reflection in the mirror.…

My inspirations for starting this series investigating the feasibility of increasing firefighters' danger tolerance included the suggestion that the modern fire attack (MFA) technique of exterior streams was evidence of cowardice, as well as recent rants regarding firefighters “not doing their jobs”, at least as defined by the person posting the rant, which generally involve the perceived hesitation of other firefighters to perform interior operations. To me, the idea that we all merely need…

A shtick and stickers are a must!



STAY FIRED UP, and keep it real, brothers and sisters!

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Leadership by example is often a concept that is easier said than done. We may hear the phrase often, but how often do we see leadership in action? Who among us is setting the example, Chief Officers, Company Officers, Medics, Firefighters, Recruits, Civilians?

The fact is, regardless of the titles we may wear or where we may fit within an…

Use of SCBA in Post Fire Environments

    The prevalence of cancer in firefighters has received a tremendous amount of well-deserved attention over the last couple of years. This may not be as new as it feels. As early as 1775, doctors in London linked cancer and chimney sweeps together.  Chimney sweeps had higher than population average rates of polyps in the nose and cancer of the scrotum.  Of…

Engine Company Search: Tri Level House

Life Safety is the fire services number one priority, typically accomplished by searching for victims of fire inside fire buildings. This is a high risk, high man power, and high intensity tactic that must be planned and coordinated. However, fire departments all over the country often are faced with the choice of…

Photo by Steve Barnes / Times Union

Fires in parking garages are rare incidents, which is why we should prepare for them by conducting fire preplans. A vehicle fire inside of a parking garage may seem like a simple job, until you arrive to find two cars burning on the top deck under solar panels with no standpipe, or an O.O.S (out of service) FDC.   

Most fires in parking garages are burning vehicles. These PG fires can be…

Photo by Brian Butler

Every minute of the day brings the potential for a machinery rescue response. Think about it, how many vehicle extrications are there in the U.S. every single day? How many rings are cut off by rescue companies and emergency room personnel every single day? How many kids get their fingers stuck in toys, bicycle parts, or their head stuck between railings every single day? If we put vehicle extrication aside,…